*Take swift action, prevent anarchy in Kano, Ulamas tell Tinubu
In what appears to be unprecedented, a judge of the Federal High Court in Kano, Justice Mohammed Liman, has temporarily put on hold the inauguration of the reinstated 16th Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II.
Justice Liman has also ignited a controversy over the propriety of his ex-parte order as the National Judicial Council (NJC) had on May 16, 2024, announced his promotion from the Federal High Court and elevated him and other 21 judges to the Court of Appeal Bench.
The judge further caused an uproar when he gave an interim injunction in a chieftaincy dispute that is exclusively within the purview of State High Court and not the Federal High Court.
Incidentally, Justice Liman’s ex-parte order has created a power tussle in Kano Emirate as two royal fathers, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II and Aminu Ado Bayero are laying claim to the revered royal throne while both are operating from two different palaces.
This is just as the Kano State Police Command has asked the State Government to obey the court order that restrained it from inaugurating Sanusi Lamidu Sanusi as 16th Emir of Kano.
TheIdeal recalls that Justice Liman of the Federal High Court in Kano had granted an ex-parte order, restraining the Kano State Government from enforcing the Kano State Emirate Council Repeal Law.
Justice Liman had granted the ex-parte order, following the enforcement of fundamental human rights application by Alhaji Aminu Babba Dan Agundi, the Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano Emirate.
The judge further directed that all court processes should be served on the parties, including the IGP in Abuja.
In his ruling in the ex-parte application, Justice Liman said, “That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the fundamental rights application.
“That in view of the constitutional and jurisdictional issues apparent on the face of the application, parties shall address the court on same at the hearing of the fundamental rights application which is fixed for the 3rd of June, 2024.
“That in order to maintain the peace and security of the state, an interim injunction of this Honourable Court is granted restraining the fifth to eight respondents (CP, IGP, NSCDC and DSS) from enforcing, executing, implementing and operationalising the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law.
“That parties are hereby ordered to maintain status quo ante the passage and assent of the bill into law pending the hearing of the Fundamental Rights application.
“That this case is adjourned to the 3rd day of June 2024, for hearing of the fundamental rights application.”
“Status quo ante” refers to the previously existing state of affairs.
The repealed law, which was initiated by former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and known as the Kano State Emirs (Appointment and Deposition) Law, created Rano, Karaye, Gaya, and Bichi Emirates in addition to Kano.
But the new assented law by Governor Abba Yusuf has dissolved the five emirates and consolidated the Kano Emirates under a single ruler.
Meanwhile, Sanusi who is currently reinstated by the state government, is holding court at the main Kano emir’s palace, while Ado Bayero who was deposed by the government, is at the mini palace at the Nassarawa GRA both in Kano city.
Ado Bayero surprisingly returned from a trip to Kano on Saturday morning, a day after Sanusi was formally reinstated.
Sanusi has been receiving greetings and homages from district heads at the palace.
He rode on a horse to the chamber to the sound of multiple gun salutes from the palace guards. Hundreds of sympathisers, mostly red cap-wearing supporters of the state’s ruling New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) are being bused from the local government areas to the main emir’s palace.
The movement of the people to the palace was said to be in connection with an alleged plan by federal authorities to relocate Ado-Bayero to the palace.
The security agencies and police have asked the state government to obey a court order, stopping the deposition of Ado-Bayero and his colleagues in the scrapped Bichi, Karaye, Rano and Gaya emirates.
But the state government has faulted the order, saying the judge that granted it was outside the country when he did so.
At the mini palace at Narassawa GRA, Ado Bayero too has received homages from some district heads and title holders who are against his deposition.
Dozens of descendants of the late Emir Ado Bayero rally around their brother in a show of solidarity and support as he arrived in Kano Saturday morning.
Aminu Dan’agundi, a title holder and senior counsellor in Kano emirate, who filed the case in court, is also at the mini palace with Ado Bayero.
There, Ado Bayero has urged his supporters and residents to remain calm and allow the law to take its course, saying that nobody is above the law.
He said that he was confident that justice would prevail in the end.
Meanwhile, Kano State Ulamas, comprising top Islamic Clerics in the state, have called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and wade into controversy surrounding the Kano Emirship tussle before it degenerate into chaos.
The Ulamas, in a statement signed by Shaykh Abdullahi Uwais Limanci and 19 others, called on the President to allow the people of Kano State to resolve the issues amicably without use of any force and loss of lives.
The statement reads in part, “The recent happenings in the Emirate if not carefully handled could escalate and degenerate into chaos. It is imperative for President Bola Tinubu to take all necessary steps to maintain peace in the State.
“While it is the purview of the State House of Assembly to enact Laws for good governance, the State Government needs the cooperation and support of the Federal Government. The State Assembly amended the Kano State Emirates Law and the Governor assented.
“One person took the case to Court that the law violates his Fundamental Human Rights. He is entitled to his rights. The State Governor also has responsibility as the Chief Executive of the State as the act in question has already been completed. Therefore there is no need for violent enforcement of any order or violent resistance to it, and we vehemently oppose any measures that will bring escalation of conflict in the State.
“Mr. President as the leader of the nation should not allow the contest for a royal stool to degenerate to violence. We are calling on Mr. President to allow the people of Kano State to resolve these issues amicably without use of any force and loss of lives.
“Kano State is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria, therefore we the undersigned call on both contending parties to use civil means in resolving their differences to allow peace to reign in the state. As major stakeholders in the state, we want to assure Mr. President that we shall reach out to contenders.”
